黒 means “black”

くろ · kuro

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くろ, くろずむ, くろい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コク

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 11 strokes

The story

The color of sumi ink, calligraphy brushes, and Zen gardens. 黒 carries elegance and formality, from the black belt in martial arts to the darkened stage of kabuki theater.

Used in 黒帯 (kuroobi, black belt) and 黒板 (kokuban, blackboard)

Words with 黒

• 白黒 (しろくろ, shirokuro): black and white
• 白黒 (しろくろ, shirokuro): black and white
• 大黒柱 (だいこくばしら, daikokubashira): main pillar / breadwinner

More from Colors & Shapes

• 色 color
• 黄 yellow
• 緑 green
• 紫 purple
• 金 gold
• 銀 silver
• 丸 circle
• 角 angle
• 線 line
• 形 shape
• 点 point
• 面 face

Learn 黒 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.